Long one of my favourite buildings in the city is the previously covered Casa Del Mara Apartments on Ouellette Avenue.
However, I’ve never had much background information on it… Until recently…
From the February 2, 1929 issue of the Border Cities Star:
…Located on Ouellette Avenue near Gilles Boulevard, the building adds easy accessibility to its many other features. It is but a 15 minute walk or a 5 minute car ride from the ferry dock, and is even nearer to Windsor’s rapidly expanding shopping district north of Wyandotte Street. It extends the full width of the block, and has entrances both on Ouellette Avenue and Dufferin Street.
It contains 28 large apartments of one, two, three and four rooms, and represents the most ambitious attempt of its builder, W. Goldstein, and the architect, G. Buller Colthurst.
By far the most colorful of the buildings of that section of Ouellette Avenue, the Casa Del Mara follows the warm, pleasing Moorish type of architecture throughout. It is patterned after a famous old residence of the same name in Spain, which, although it was built in the Seventeenth Century and has been partially destroyed by fire twice, is still considered one of the world’s most beautiful and historic houses…
The description goes on to talk about the fireplace in the lobby and how no two apartments are alike. It also talks about the rugs, and light fixtures that were all custom made for the building… Rent started at $50.00 in 1929, equivalent to about $625 a month… Quite an expensive and exclusive address in 1929.
The building was designed by architect Guy Buller Colthurst of Windsor.
G.B. Colthurst also designed the Col. Bishop School in LaSalle, demolished in 2007, he was also an associate architect on the Paul Martin Federal Building in 1932, and in 1928, he also designed the Granada Apartments for William Goldstein, which stands today on the corner of Gilles and Dougall. One of Windsor’s great architects of the boom years.
Glad to see that it is in almost the same condition as it was whe it was built. Except for the arched windows in the left top corner and the tile roof (which was replaced not too long ago)it is in great condition.
And yes there are still some original fixtures in the apartments which have textured walls and coved ceilings.
Thanks for this Andrew, I spent half of my 20’s in #203.
Maybe if you have a chance, there is a little brick cove on the south-east corner of the building, I was always curious about it’s purpose.
We used to play frisbee in the south side “park” (read: open lot) that our windows overlooked before they cut down the tree to erect that turd of a building that sits there today.
It seems like there are a large number of structures and buildings built in this city between the years 1928 and 1929.
Nice building. It would be nice to see some pics of one of the units. I hope that the ivy vines aren’t doing any damage though.
Take a hop over the border. There are plenty of these moorish-style apartments in the D, although most of them are abandoned.
Tim, I know, I’ve seen more than I can count. They are beautiful buildings. There is a great one on the corner of LaSalle & Buena Vista…